With growing popularity of cellular devices, such as smart phones, tablets, and note pads, users now desire having different contact numbers for different usages, such as personal usage and business usage. To cater to such desire, current cellular devices have now evolved to support dual or multi subscriber identity module (SIM). Further, current cellular devices are having capability of streaming high-quality content, such as streaming videos. As such, demand for high speed, high capacity, and low cost mobile broadband Internet while saving bandwidth has greatly increased. To cater to such demands, new technologies, such as long-term evolution (LTE) are being developed. Evolved multimedia broadcast multicast services (eMBMS), also referred to as LTE Broadcast, enables the transmission of same content, such as multimedia streaming and sending operating system (OS) update, to a large number of users located in an eMBMS service area at the same time.
However, presently a large number of dual or multi SIM cellular devices available in the market operate on dual-standby or multi-standby mode, i.e., while a particular SIM is in use, the other SIM(s) becomes inactive or not reachable. As such, if the eMBMS is used by the user on a particular SIM with any operator, the other SIM(s) becomes inactive or not reachable. Similarly, when using applications that consume high bandwidth, such as video streaming application, data downloading application, and financial applications on a data session provided by particular SIM, in one scenario, the other SIM(s) becomes inactive or not reachable. In other scenario, incoming call on other SIM(s) interrupts the data session on the particular SIM. Various solutions are available that overcome this problem. One solution to overcome this problem is to modify the hardware component, i.e., chipset with a tune away feature. However, this solution is burdensome and expensive for retrofitting existing cellular devices.
In another solution, a user-based call waiting function and call forwarding function is adjusted to a dual SIM phone environment. Accordingly, a menu including one or more options to set a dual SIM function to forward a first incoming call from the first phone number to the second phone number, and vice versa is provided on the cell phone. This provides dynamic call forwarding feature with user intervention for all the preconfigured call functionalities. However, this solution only caters to call forwarding.
In another solution, a dual SIM mobile terminal may include a controller which is a single chipset, a dual SIM, and two radio frequency (RF) units, thereby having an effect capable of providing a service at the same level as a dual SIM using two mobile terminals even with one mobile terminal. Furthermore, dual SIM switching is performed at run time according to a state of the network, a pricing system, and a user's setting, thereby providing the user's desired service. However, this solution is directed towards SIM switching based on certain parameters.
In another solution, a user-equipment determines a timing of each of one or more audio transmissions of one or more audio segments through multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) streaming via a first radio access technology (RAT), where the MBMS streaming includes the one or more audio segments and one or more video segments. The user-equipment refrains from tuning away from the first RAT to a second RAT during at least one audio transmission of the one or more audio transmissions, the second RAT being different than the first RAT. This solution ensures EMBMS quality and however other SIM still becomes unreachable.
In another solution, network conditions may be monitored for signal quality during an active call. When signal quality on the network deteriorates, the multi-SIM wireless device may switch the active call to a network associated with a different SIM that provides better service. To enable the switch, the multi-SIM wireless device may setup a conference call with the called party and the different SIM. In the various embodiments, the multi-SIM wireless devices may be a dual-SIM dual active (DSDA) wireless device. However, this solution is directed towards SIM switching when signal quality deteriorates.
Therefore, a need exists for an apparatus and method for selectively transferring one or more services in multi-subscriber identity module (SIM)-multi-standby electronic device.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the disclosure.